Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-09-01

Z" Exports real nice plncc, though 4
isn't quite ns big rs Boston," she con
Tinted. explanatorily, and Tad caught
himself wondering II II was anywlicr,
near the Arctic regions Of which W,
had read, and II so what he should dc
for an overcoat-for even then he WA.
beginning to feel chilly in his thread
bare suit. So the afternoon wore slow.
ly away. Captain Flagg smoked and
steered, Polly played with the dog,
George Washington got supper, Ept
Whitfield up another shingle (Which
he pulled out from under the hatch.
covcring), and Tad meditated.
"Strikc eight bells, Mr.. Small, and
call the watch" shouted Captain Flagg,
in stontorian voice, as q glance at his
old-fashioned time-pioco showed that Il
was four o'clock p. m.
The chief mate shut up his jack-knifc
reluctantly, roso to his feet. and. dust
ing of his tarry trousers with great de-
W ration, struck eight rcsounding
srokes on the small bell for'ard. Then,
lounging aft, he relieved the wheel,
and, seated on the rudder-head, stccred
with one hand, while the other absently
fingered his jack-knife in his pocket.
Captain Flagg now t'ok n seat on tho
edge Of the little trunk cabin. yawncd,
squinted his eye toward the western
horizon, where the sun was going down
in great sea Of purple and gold. and
patronizingly bcckoncd to Tad, who.
with some dinidencc, sat down beside
the ancient mariner.
"Like your shipmatcs in the port
watch pretty well, my lad?" inquired
the Captain, kindly.
With shy glance at unconscious
Folly, who was tantalizing Bounce by
swinging the big sun-bonnet by tho
strings, before his nose, Tad said he
liked EN- ever so much.
That's proper" approvingly rc-
sponded Captain Flagg, "and mind that
you learn all you can from 'em. Eph
is trcmen'us smart sailor" continued
the Captain, lowering his voice as he
regarded the youth in question, "and
what he don't know about ships du-
ties and reggcrlations amt worth
knowin'."
As Tads eyes involuntarily followed
the direction OF the Captains gaze. he
secretly wondered whether it was &C.
contricity that prompted Mr.. Small to
wear a faded calico shirt, battered
slouch hat, tattcrcd vest and dingy
canvas trousers. For Tad's idea of q
sailors rig was derived from the one
or two highly-wrought nautical tales
which he had read in his life. IIe
fancied that in all climates and wcath-
ers, Jack Tar wore a little glazed black
hat with long ribbons, and blue jack
ct rcsplendent with brass buttons, blue
trousers, silk stockings and low-quar-
tered shoes.
But he's the-the greatest chap to
whittlc | ever see in my life," pursued
Captain Flagg. meditatively-" the very
greatest"
Polly, who overheard the remark.
laughed gayly in the depths of her sun
bonnet.
Hes got half bunch of loose shin
giles in the bottom OF his bunk, that ho
saved from our last deck-lOad, and
takes out fresh ono every time he goes
below-that's where George Washing
ton gets his kindlings for the galley
stove FROM" she remarked, demurcly.
"The most I'm afcared of, observed
bar fafh.r In a ..YEI.urf.1 - .-,....
sis that his usin' Of q jack-knifc so
much might get the vessel into some
sech scrape as tho Of British Fast
Indy ship 'Win'sor Castle got into
once whilst / was a sailor"
what was that, sir?" eagerly in.
quired Polly, knowing full well what
for the material out Of which
sea-yarns were spun was her fathers
manly chest.
"Wcll, " slowlyreturned the Captain,
''near's / can remember, the story's |
this; The ship was on her homc-bound |
passage from Chiny. an got becalmed !
for two or three days somewhere on the |
'quator. So, it bcin' hot, and the sailor
to the wheel bcin' a absent-minded sort
Of chap, what does he do but out
knife and cut his namc-'James w. |
Dunn'-along on the rim Of the m hog. |
any wheelr' Here Captain Flagg EN-.
phasized the enormity Of the offcnse by |
a portentous shake Of the head, and !
went on:
$50, when the Gap'n came on deck.
there WAS a pretty row. He clnps Jim
In irons, and d'rc'tly they got into
port. had him rested, and the only
way poor Jim could get out Of it waI
by paying for bran'-new wheel"
That was t0o badr' intcrjected Tad.
who was eagerly listening.
"Well - yes, assented Captain
Flagg, who had curious way Of some.
lines combining the practical aud
'criptural when occasion offered. "but
{ goes 20 show, Thaddeus, that-tbe-